Announcement
The Card Bard Shop will take your pet photos and transform them into quality custom holiday cards that will amaze your friends and family! Skillful Photoshop techniques and heaps of imagination turn boring greeting cards into family treasures that will be cherished forever. Order over sixty cards, and receive a free 8x10 print of your card.
Most of our cards will be ready to ship in less than three days after we receive your photos, order and inscription. Please send your photos in advance of placing your order to make sure they are of print quality. Want to know exactly how long it will take? Just send us your photos and card choice and we can tell you!
Questions? See our FAQs or click on the Ask question link and we will answer them.
Items
Reviews
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dmessenger on Nov 28, 2022
5 out of 5 starsCheri and team have been doing our Christmas Cards since 2014 and every year they are amazing! There are always so many to choose from and each year she makes them perfect. Before we even send out the cards, there are notes in the cards that we’ve received saying they can’t wait to see ours again ‘this year’! Some folks say that ‘this years’ card is the best yet! They all are the BEST. We are so glad that we have found someone (in Cheri) who brings so much joy to so many people during the holiday season. We can’t thank you enough!
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Sharon Ratchford on Nov 5, 2022
5 out of 5 starsCheri is always very helpful when ordering and selecting the design. The finished product is excellent quality and arrives when promised. Thank you CardBardShop!!
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Gina on Nov 1, 2022
5 out of 5 starsCheri has done it again! I am amazed how she can take a couple of ordinary pet photos and artfully produce such beautiful cards. I always look forward to seeing the finished project every year and I am never disappointed! My family and friends love to receive the cards too!
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Peggy on Nov 15, 2022
5 out of 5 starsCheri was incredibly patient and detail oriented. She helped us achieve our vision of our card (which 4 very uncooperative cats were not willing to do!) By working with images we could get and enhancing the pictures into an incredible shot she nailed it. Can't say enough good things about our experience.
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Sylvia on Nov 9, 2022
5 out of 5 starsWe have been getting our cards through CardBard since 2014 and have always loved the end result. The quality of Cheri’s work is outstanding and friends look forward to receiving these whimsical and special cards. There are so many backgrounds one can pick from, and it’s a real highlight of the season. The cards were processed quickly and just arrived today- We request the 8 x 10 in addition to the regular order. Cheri and crew clearly love what they do. Thank you- You’ve done it again!
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Wil on Nov 5, 2022
5 out of 5 starsAnother excellent card designed by Cheri. Thanks so much! I’ll have to remember to come back and include a photo (after I’ve sent mine out!). Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
About TheCardBardShop
Although we are new to Etsy, we have been in business creating custom cards under the name The Card Bard for over ten years now. We would like to thank all our loyal customers who patiently supported us when, during our busiest season last year, a website failure forced us to make the sudden transition to Etsy. We have throughly enjoyed sharing your family photos, felt your pain when losing a beloved pet, your happiness when welcoming a new one to the family, and have loved watching your children grow up. If you should have any problems ordering with this site, or have any questions, please contact us either with the “Ask Question” function on this site, or by any previous email or phone contact you have for us. All of them will work.
Shop members
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Cheri Moland
Owner And Designer
I’m a photographer, graphic designer, and pet parent. It’s amazing fun making your fuzzy family members into “superstars” and I appreciate the opportunity to make those special days of the year a little brighter for you, your family, and friends.
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Cancellations: not accepted
Please contact the seller if you have any problems with your order.
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Frequently asked questions
Do your cards fold or are they like a post card? How big are they?
Our cards are the traditional folding style with the inscription on the inside. They are a roomy 5.5” X 8.5”, which conveniently, is the largest size you can mail in the U.S. without adding extra postage.
What kind of photos work best for your cards?
The best pose for most of our cards can be taken from in front of the pet, at his/hers eye level (as opposed from your eye level looking down at the pet on the floor) with the pet in a sitting, standing or upright laying position. Some cards just require a head shot, but most need a shot of all or most of the pet’s body. You can either get down on the floor to take the picture or photograph them while they are sitting on elevated, such as a couch, chair, deck, etc. The best lighting is usually outdoors on bright overcast days or in open shade. Avoid harsh sunlight, however, as it will either bleach out all detail in white fur or turn dark fur to solid black. Separate photos of each pet work the best and feel free to send more than one.
Can you retouch a photo of my pet?
Yes! We routinely retouch any eye glare, remove scruffy collars or leashes that are visible, lighten eye stains, fix bad poodle hair days and can even combine head shot from one photo and a body shot from a different photo (same pet, of course) to achieve the best possible image of your fuzzy little friends. Most of the time there is no extra for this, but contact us prior to placing your order if you have any questions or concerns.
Will cell phone (or tablet) photos work for your cards?
Yes! Here are some guidelines to help you achieve the best results:
Clean your lens before taking photos.
If there is a setting for HDR, make sure it says "HDR On".
DO NOT USE THE ZOOM FUNCTION. On cell phones and tablets, this merely crops the photo in the device, making it smaller. Instead, move in as closer.
Please do not use the portrait mode on your camera phone. This renders just a small portion of the photo in focus (usually the face) and the rest will be out of focus. In order to construct a convincing composite, we need the entire pet to be in focus.
If you are sending your photos directly from your phone, when your email service gives you an option of what size image to send, always pick largest or original.
What settings should I use on my digital camera?
Set your camera to the largest image size available.
Set ASA to no higher than 400.
Use flash if necessary but turn off red eye correction. This function emits a series of flashes prior to photo and will usually make your pet look away and usually turns the pet’s eyes to black blobs. We will retouch any unwanted eye reflections and do a much better job at it.
Can I send photos take by a professional photographer?
We cannot use professional photos unless the photographer has given us permission to do so. Most are happy to do so - all we need is an email from them.
I have trouble getting my dog to pose for photos. What should I do?
For dogs, it's usually easier to enlist a helper. Have someone hold the dog on a leash in front of you and kneel down to take the photo. Don’t worry if the leash is visible, we will retouch it out. If your dog has a hard time calming down, work in several short sessions (less than ten minutes). Usually by the third one, it has become much less exciting to the pet. Be generous with treats to make it a positive experience.
If you regularly have your pet groomed, a great trick is to accompany the pet on the trip, and when the groomer is finished, snap a couple photos of the pet while they are still on the groomer’s stand. They are pretty close to eye level, they have calmed downed, the lighting is usually good, and they look nice to boot!